Illustration

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Here is the illustration. In some ways I quite like it - it's lively and has rather more character to it than the books, but the ponies look rather more like elks (and if I'm right, the one standing at the open door is supposed to be an Arabian), and it's the inaccuracy of it that gets me.

I'm not usually a stickler for health and safety - my daughter often rode bareback, and you don't find that happening in riding schools these days - but in a situation like this where you have a lot of children, and loose ponies, and buckets and brooms..... I can see it being published in the Pony Club Annual entitled "What is wrong with this picture?" And if I was Vicki, owner of the riding school where this is set, I'd be scared witless of being sued when the inevitable happened.

There are whole reams I could write, but I can feel myself coming over all moralistic, so I think I'll go on a nice harmless visit to the Bank to pay in the week's takings!

Comments

Unknown said…
One can't help suspecting that the publishers, (though possibly not Katie herself) is aiming the books at little chavettes, who are unlikely to go anywhere near an actual stable.
If they did, most of them would be horrified at the smells, horse muck, and possibly even the reality of real ponies - bigger than you expect, and with minds of their own.
It would be nice if the illustrations were better, but at least if it Jordan's name gets them reading, that's something.
13 July 2007 at 16:00
Mutterings and Meanderings said…
I think the ponies look rather like cows!
13 July 2007 at 19:54
Vanessa said…
I agree with Gillian that if the books get children reading then they've served a purpose but will they encourage them to keep reading? I have a sneaky feeling that other pony books, more in the 'proper' pony book style might be a shock to the system.
19 July 2007 at 12:48
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